It wasn't long ago that I might have thought so, but in my very limited experience, organising a small-scale concert can very quickly go from a nice idea about staging an informal "happening", to a full-blown logistical nightmare, complete with the kind of squabbles about cash, lights and equipment that somewhat undermines the free-thinking ethic that started the ball rolling in the first place.

I can only presume that full-time rock promoters experience these headaches to the power of 100.

City promoter and owner of the Met Lounge Steve Jason said that despite the organisational challenge, the job is well worth it.

"The best thing, without doubt, is seeing people enjoy themselves at a show – whether it be 200 people at The Met or 1,000 at The Cresset – to have a full room singing along with the band is great feeling," he said.

Steve first got the bug when he was 17, organising sixth form parties and discos, but graduated to promoting soul bands because of his day job.

"I was running coaches all around the country to see the big bands and people always used to say 'why don't these bands come to Peterborough?', so I thought I'd try to do something about it."

Deaf by Stereo's Rachel Devlin – who with two partners has brought emerging talent such as Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip and Does it Offend You, Yeah? to the city – found her motivation in a similar place.

"I think the whole thing started when a good friend and I started DJing at Xoo Bar in Peterborough, putting on a regular Saturday indie night – we saw the potential there for it to grow. We're just happy trying to bring the music to Peterborough now – there's certainly a lot of people who want to hear it."

The path to bringing bands to the city can be a rocky one at first, as Stamford-based Jack Bavister – who started promoting gigs at just 15 – explains.

He said: "There were plenty of difficulties initially. Starting at such a young age with no experience and minimum investment was a struggle, also convincing bands, agents and managers that I was trustworthy took some work, but then improved."

Steve Jason agrees, and said aspiring promoters have to be in for the long haul.

"I soon realised that you couldn't simply ring up an agent and book the biggest band he looked after – you had to start at the bottom and I made a fair few mistakes," he said, adding that it became clear that he was best off confining his operation to bands he personally liked and had a passion for.

"I realised that if you booked bands that you knew nothing about, then chances are you would lose money anyway."

This passion for music seems to be the essence of what Steve, Rachel and Jack do – and it can often be the only thing that sustains promoters through the rocky financial patches.